


What Lies Beneath

by GutZNinja9



Category: Slugterra
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Family Fluff, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2018-12-14 16:42:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11787228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GutZNinja9/pseuds/GutZNinja9
Summary: Three months ago, Kida’s best and only friend from school completely vanished. She is determined to figure out where he has gone, but in her attempts to find him, she discovers and befriends a very unusual, yet adorable creature. Little does she know that in time, it will lead her on a adventure like no other and reveal to her one of the world’s biggest kept secrets.





	1. Old Memory, New Friend

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Class, turn to page 43 and read sections 4 through 7,” my history teacher instructed, “Then answer the questions at the end.”

        While the sounds of twenty-three textbooks being opened fill the room, I make no move to follow their example.  I realize in fact that I have barely heard anything that he has said the entire period.  I want to complete my work, but not while my mind is on an emotional roller-coaster.

        I hate how weird I get when my emotions change.  At the most unexpected of times, they can skyrocket if I don’t keep them all in check.  And sometimes when they do, it makes everything else happening around me almost tune out completely.  Busying myself as a distraction doesn’t calm them but instead make my emotions become almost overwhelming; to the point where I just feel that I have to escape the pairs of eyes that continue to stare at me.  No can make you inferior without your consent, but what about when your mind acts on it’s own, without your consent?

        Luckily, being an invisible nobody has its advantages and no one really notices it so long as you remain quiet and noncommittal.  You draw much less attention to yourself, never doing anything out of the ordinary; the one lesson that made itself perfectly clear on the very first day.

Although, this wasn’t the same case three months back.  I felt like I could be anything I wanted without any kind of judgment to deter me.  At least, not by myself.

* * *

 

The second bell rang for my first block class as I rushed into the D building.  Someone roughly bumped me with their elbow, mumbling an absent ‘ _sorry’_ in my direction as I navigated my way through the enormous sea of people.  When I looked in the mirror on the inside of my locker, I caught a glimpse of the remains of this morning’s breakfast sticking to the right-hand corner of my mouth.  Wiping it away, I tightened my hairband and checked for anything else that was out of place.  I didn’t know (and still don’t know) what compelled me to stay awake at all hours the night before reading when I should have been gathering school supplies for my classes.  I guess I was supposed to be excited about going to the new school, but honestly I could not decide whether to be excited or frightened about being in a whole new social environment.  I never really bothered in being interested in becoming part of one because I thought it was pointless, since me and my family were the type that moved every three months.  My father worked as a scientist, studying the ins and outs of organic energy, chemosynthetic organisms from all over, and whatnot.  And what that meant was constant packing up like nomads and moving to a completely random location.  I was always up and gone before I could make any real friends, the ones I did make didn’t stay in touch with me for very long.  Hopefully, I would have better luck here.  Or so I thought…

Before I could finish getting my stuff, my locker slammed shut, revealing the glare of a girl that was a little taller than me by a couple inches.  The shirt that she was wearing was a brighter pink that I’d ever seen and was certainly not cheap.  “What business does a girl like you have snooping through my locker?  Didn’t your mother ever teach you that rooting through someone else’s stuff is an invasion of privacy?”

‘Perfect!  So much for making a good first impression,’ I groaned inside. “I’m –I’m sorry.  The front office gave me a slip that said this is my locker.”

“Yeah, well the front office told ya wrong.”

Another girl with thick glasses peered out from behind the tall one that was talking to me, in a rather exaggerated way. “You’d better watch it,” she said, putting a lot of emphasis into her words as though she were condemning me to a life sentence.

“Look!, I don’t want any trouble” I said, showing her the paper. “See for yourself.”

She took the paper from my hand and squinted as if she was trying to see it clearly. “Oh look it does, doesn’t it?” In a matter of seconds, the numbers are crumpled into a ball in her fist and she turns toward me with devious grimace. “As you can see, I really don’t care.  This locker’s been mine since freshmen year and I won’t have it handed down to some newbie.”

“You better do what she says,”says the girl beside her, “Unless you want things to get really ugly.”

“Listen, I’m sorry but you’ve got the wrong person and I’m about to be late-“  As I turn away, a hand swats half of my books onto the floor with a loud of smack.  People step over them without even bothering to watch where they are going.  The tall girl in hot pink shirt smirked down at me, her arms crossed over her chest in a triumphant gesture.

If we weren’t on school campus and it wasn’t my first day, I would’ve punched that pretty little face of hers. “What the crud is your problem?”

“Let that be a little lesson to you when you ever think about challenging me.  Consider it a little welcome to school gift, newbie.“

I try to get all my books together, when a foot trapped my hand between the floor and the heel of a shoe.  I winced, but I didn’t cry out; not in front of a group of mean girls.  My fingers start to turn red and a pair of tennis shoes stops in front of me. “Whoa!  I’m so sorry.  I didn’t see you there.  Need some help?”

I looked up to see a tall boy with jet black hair and dark blue eyes, extending a hand out to me.  His hair almost appeared blue in the light, with long streaks falling down in front of his eyes.  He wore a grey and orange hoodie.  After a moment, I finally realized that I’d been staring at him and almost forgot to take his hand.  Gratefully, I took it and he helped me up, but immediately turning his gaze away from me and to the tall girl watching us.

“Is there a problem here Lindsey?”

“Sweetie, I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” she said in a very flirtatious way, twirling strands of her hair with her finger, “It’s nothing hon.  Just giving the new girl a little talk n’ to about how things work around here.”

“Then if you wouldn’t mind, I’ll take it from here,” He bent down and handed me one my books.  “See you later?”

“See you there, babe,” she coed blowing him a very exaggerated kiss as she flips her bleach blond hair behind her with her minions trailing behind her like obedient dogs.

“Sorry about that.  Lindsay likes to give people a hard time, especially when they’re new to the school.  How’s your hand?”

I think he’s really sweet to be concerned for me.  “Nothing that I can’t walk off.  Girl sure knows how to give the newbies the mean girl regulations and rules.”

He shrugged and gave a short laugh. “Yep, every school has a queen bee.  You’re lucky though.  You should see her when she’s really ticked off.  Trust me.  You wouldn’t want to get anywhere near her.”

I laugh. “I don’t think I want to be anywhere near her period.”

“Yeah.  Hey, you’re new here right?”

I find it hard to look him in the eye without staring, his deep blue eyes almost captivating. “Um, yeah.  Speaking of which, I’m already late to class.”

“Which class is your first period?  If you’re having trouble finding your way, I could walk you there if you want.”

Normally, I’d shrug off a guy’s offer to take me anywhere at the earliest opportunity.  Yet on the other hand, I’d rather accept help than be let my pride get me lost and make me look like an idiot.  “Sure.”

My class wasn’t far my locker.  We only walk for a few minutes before we arrive at my first block.  Due to past experiences with other guys, I was almost surprised he did try to hold me hand or anything.  He smile and his kind face were so inviting, and yet he wasn’t flaunting them.  

“Thank you.  And not just for walking me to my class, but with...you know Lindsey.”

He smiles an cants his head to the side. “No problem….I’m sorry I never got your name.”

I smile and almost laugh at the fact that I didn’t tell him my name before after he took Kindsey off my back.  I really need to get my thinking straight. “Kida.  Kida Kirkwood.  What’s yours?

He flashes a bright smile at me as he walks down to the next corridor and I can’t help grinning. “Name’s Eli.  See ya around Kida.”

 


	2. Old Memory, New Friend Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three months ago, Kida’s best and only friend from school completely vanished. She is determined to figure out where he has gone, but in her attempts to find him, she discovers and befriends a very unusual, yet adorable creature. In time, it will take her on an adventure like no other and reveal to her one of the world’s biggest kept secrets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I slowly walked to the courtyard, keeping my head low enough under my hood so no one can see my face as I find my favorite spot under the only lavender colored cratemurtle tree.  The chilly wind sweeps over my head and carries several of the beautiful blooms away in it’s playful gusts.  They drift away in showers until they come to rest onto the ground.  This one spot has several branches that bow low to the ground and break against the breeze.  Underneath them, it’s almost like a secret room.  Pretty much anyone can do almost anything they want during the last hour before the bell rings for us to go home.  And this is one of the only places where I can avoid Lindsey and her flock of vultures searching for a decent meal.

Right about now, Eli and I would be going over any Physics homework before heading into the gym to toss around a football or go for a little one on one with the basketball.  Since he moved schools, reading and writing have become my favorite past times during unstructured hour; not I thought I was that good at it, but it beat sitting in the corner alone doing nothing like easy prey for predators.  I always carry about four journals around with me to jot down ideas the moment they pop into my head, before I lose them.  And when I’m not in the mood to write, I’ll pull out my latest book, fresh from the new stock in the school library.  

However, reading my favorite works of  _Stephen King_ can only satisfy my loneliness for so long.  As much as I hate to admit it, as much as I act like I want to alone, I want a friend.  But Eli was really the only person I took a particular interest and genuine trust in.  He...was a genuine person.  Unlike most other people that might even think about considering being friends with me.  A quiet, antisocial recluse who’s a total bookworm and who some people don’t even know exists.  The only person that really recognizes my presence at this school is Lindsey.  I’ve become her prime target since Eli left, and she has plenty of rage to fuel her anger and pursuit of revenge.  How I wish he was here, more than ever!  Not as my brave defender, but as my best friend.

I’m so lost in my own thoughts that I don’t even flinch or start to move when the bell rings for us to make our way out to the bus lot to go home.  The bus is oddly quiet when I get on.  Usually there are kids barreling over each other to get their favorite seats next to their besties and shouting as loud as possible about their latest snapchat posts or instagram updates.  Everyone is so quiet as if someone had magically silenced them, all of them plugged into their ear-buds and smartphones, doing and saying nothing.

My seat is always empty at the very back of the bus.  Even though no one is looking at me, I avert my eyes from everyone. Who should appear from the seat of the very back, but another one of Lindsey’s minions, reclining comfortably in the seat and smiling like an mocking idiot at me.

My grip tightens on my books, but only slightly.

She practically worships Lindsey and would do anything for her, even if it meant jumping off of a bridge would please her. “Well if it isn’t Spitfire the klutzy recluse, crawling back to her little hidey hole.” Instantly my blood starts to boil.  _‘Only Eli was ever allowed to call me that!’_

“Well if it isn’t Shaina the brainless servant, too stupid to do anything of her own will.”  The words came out before I could even process them.

A few oo’s erupted from some curious bystanders behind me.  Her smirk turns to a grimace, standing bolt upright in the seat and expectantly waiting for me to submit to her.

But I don’t move.

“Someone’s feeling super confident today, aren’t we Kirkwood?” she says, crossing her arms over her chest. “You certainly have a lot of nerve to call someone else brainless, since a reject like you don’t seem to even have half of one.”

I glare at her straight in the eyes. “At least I have enough of one to know my own mind, unlike some people.” More oo’s and giggles come from behind.

She snatches one of my books from me and pretends to look at it. “Hmm, you are right.”  I’m taken aback by her tone of voice as she dusts the cover with her hand. “But you don’t have enough to avoid THIS!”

My books fall onto the floor of the bus as I stumble backwards, holding my stinging face in my hands.  

“Eli is here to save your sorry butt anymore, Kida.”

The searing, dizzying pain clouds my vision, but I manage to see the shape Shaina moving towards me with both hands.

 “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay down where you belong!”

Without much choice, I slip into the seat beside me, but my heels kick out into the walkway.  She trips over my feet and falls with a thud into the floor of the bus.

“Mrs. Helmsworth, what’s all the commotion about?”  _‘A little late getting in on the situation, don’t you think Mr. Parker?’_

“Mr. Parker, Kida tripped me.”

“Alright Miss Kirkwood, time to hit the road.”

“What?!”  _‘Darn it Kida!  The trouble you get into when you don’t keep your mouth shut!’_ “I didn’t do anything!”

“Grab your books and get moving.”

A massive smirk crosses Shaina’s face as she watches me pick up my library books and sling my bag over my shoulder, keeping my eyes away from anyone watching me….and holding back tears.  
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I wipe my face with my sleeve as keep my crying to a soft sniffle.  Even though I’ve avoided contact of any kind with Lindsey and her servants, they still seem to have some certain way of getting to me.  And honestly, on occasion my quiet girl exterior can get me in more trouble than out of trouble.

_‘Why do even convince myself that I can stand up to those girls!?  All it does is get me kicked off of the bus or into the principle’s office for something that wasn’t even my fault.’_

I walk for about fifteen minutes until I see the only house in my neighborhood with red shutters on the windows.  I feel a little bit of relief when I see my parents aren’t home yet.  They sometimes work long hours in the lab late in the afternoon and I don’t see them until after dark.

A few more tears roll down my cheeks as I finally reach the driveway, but I can’t bring myself to step up to the door, or even get out my house key.

I turn and head down the sidewalk again, this time determined with a more desirable destination.  After three blocks down the street and then around the left corner, I finally arrived at the small white house with blue shutters and a small stump of a melted white candle, still sitting in the first floor window next to the door.  First checking to make sure no one saw me, I walked to the side of the house where the window was still slightly cracked.  Slipping my fingers behind the pane, it opened easily on its dusty hinges.  With one last check to make sure that no one would call the police on me for trespassing or stealing, I pulled myself inside.

I fall onto the floor, disturbing a poof of dust that makes me sneeze; spreading more onto the floor, which is already coated in it.  I cough a moment to get the rest of the dust out of my mouth and brush myself off.

The room looks just as it did before, although covered with a new coat of dust.  A large plasma screen sits on a wall stand in one corner with a enormous comfortable love seat in the opposite.  A small side table with an although used, empty white plate still sitting there as if the one who’d eaten off of it had left in a hurry and never returned to bring it to the kitchen.   A small desk with a stack of papers was left on it lies next to the TV.  Just as it was three months ago.

** Flashback **

**“Okay, so to find the acceleration, you have to place the multiplication of the change and velocity together over…” Two fingers take hold of my book, drawing my eyes up from the page, “Are you even listening ‘Nessa?”**

**“Of course I am.  I can multitask, you know?” I say, smiling as innocently as I can.**

**He doesn’t hold his serious expression long and smiles back at me while still holding my book between his fingers. “Don’t get me wrong, books are great and all.  But they can only take you so far in physics class, and they get you more distracted than focused on the lessons.”**

**I close my book and toss it into the corner of the love seat before I let out a long sigh and lay my head back on the soft cushions. “But we’ve been at it for more than an hour.  There is such a thing as too much studying.”**

**He cants his head. “Aww, come on Kida.  You’re the one who asked for a tutor in the ‘worst class in school.’ ”**

**“But that’s not all we have to do!”**

**I’m surprised when I hear him chuckle, “You sure are demanding.  Tell ya what, once we finally get through this section, we’ll call it quits for awhile.  Cool?”**

**My eyes glance from side to side and I tap my chin. “Hmm, fair enough.”**

**After explaining the basics on how to identify “Acceleration” and solve to find “Normal Force,” we both looked to our own papers.  I was paying attention to my own work, but I couldn’t keep quiet for very long.**

**“I don’t know how you do it, Eli.”**

**He looked up from his work at me. “Do what?”**

**“Tolerate me.”**

**He looked utterly taken aback for a moment before he spoke. “Tolerate you?  What do you mean?”**

**I frowned. “I guess I still don’t understand why you take such an interest in me Eli.  I’m….not exactly the most outgoing and sociable girl.  Aren't you worried about what people will say?”**

**“You are sociable with me.  What about what people will say?  They can say what they want.  Nothing can change that."**

**"No, I mean about you hanging out...with a reject...I guess-"**

**He puts his hands on my shoulders, making me look at him in the face. "Alright.  What's wrong?  A reject?  Why do you say that?"**

**I close my book and suddenly the the lamp beside the TV is very interesting."I am a rejected extra piece, a spare part to the machine that's not essential to making it work properly.  And no matter how many times it tries to fit in, it never does.  That spare part is isolated and kept from the main operation until it's no longer necessary."**

**"Don't you even listen to yourself!?  That's her talking, not you!** **Why do you let a mullet mouth like her dictate what and who you are?"**

**"I don't let anyone tell me what I can and can't be!  Not even you Eli!" Eli's stern face doesn't waver.  I let out a long sigh after a few silent minutes. "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to yell at you Eli.  Your right."**

**Eli stopped tensing.  But he still had a dissatisfied look on his face, which told me he wasn't going to let down this conversation without getting the rest of the issue out into the open air.**

**"The thing is you have such a great reputation here at this school, a great rank in sports and the popular cliques.  I just don't want to ruin that for you.  I don't want to be the reason why some people think they should view you differently because your tutoring the newbie who looks for trouble.** **I appreciate you offering to help me with these annoying problems, but I don’t want you to feel obligated to-”**

**“Okay, hold it right there Kida,” he orders, holding up a finger close to my lips. “When we first met, do you think I cared about what others thought about how I treated a new student?**

**_Yeah, you were a total snob Eli._ The question was ridiculous. “Well….no.”**

**“Alright, and does it ever cross your mind about how much of jerk Lindsey is?”**

**“Is speed determined by distance and time?”**

**He smiles again, stifling a laugh and then looking serious. “Right.  I’ll tell you the honest truth right now Kida.  You’re unlike any other girl I’ve ever met at school.  Even if you don't follow the crowd, this...may sound kinda cheesy, but you are kind and generous and have I’d rather spend time with an authentic teenage girl with real feelings than one that cares more about herself than anyone else and is convinced that she’s perfect in every possible way.  In any case, you’re at least fun to argue with about homework, Spitfire.”**

**I smile again. _‘Why does he have to be so charming?’_. “Fair enough.  But seriously, is speed solved by dividing distance by time?  I forgot.”**

**Then he starts to laugh. “And here I thought you were bored to death with doing this stuff.’**

**“I was, but….I think I could tolerate it a little bit longer.’**

_‘You’d think that after three months I’d have gotten used to fact that he was gone.  But when he left, I felt like a piece of me left with him.  Like my will to stand up or let someone else into my heart disappeared with my best friend, as if he disappeared off the face of the earth.  And I no longer have hopes of ever seeing him again.’_

I curled up in the same spot, more tears course down my cheeks as I hug my knees to my chest.  This time I let them fall freely.  

“I miss you so much Eli,” I whisper against my sweater, “You have no idea how much I miss you, how much I wish you were here.”

I jump out of skin at the sound of a sudden thump coming from upstairs!  Then I hear a shrill screech like that of an injured animal and more scuttling.  I drop my books and backpack on the floor beside the love seat, debating on running or investigating.  Another screech cries out downstairs.

_‘This never happened the last few times I came here.’_ Concerned that my curiosity may or may not get the better of me, I reluctantly start to climb up the stairs.  Another cry and I pass the landing and onto the top.  A small blue blur franticly, but clumsily flutters out of one of the rooms and a large ugly rat chasing it!  I grab a broom leaning against the wall and head after the rat.  It runs into one of the other rooms, only to turn sharp and head back out again into another, as if the blue blur is trying to throw the rat off balance!  The rat hisses, not seeming to care about me, but of whatever it’s chasing.  The little blue blur looks almost like a wounded bird.  The rat pounces!  The poor little thing squeals with panic!  Aiming very carefully, I hear the broom make contact with a loud THWACK!  The rat flies across the floor, bouncing once and hitting against the wall!  I stand over the crippled creature.

“Get out of here you disgusting little rodent!”  With one last hiss, the nasty vermin disappears.

I then turn to the small injured bird.  My eyes grow wide!  It undoubtable has wings, but is unlike any kind of bird I’ve ever seen!  I don’t think it’s even a bird!  It’s blue, with things on its head like a set of antenna, and only one eye in the center of its face, which is closed.

Just then the broom slips from my hand and falls to the floor with a loud smack.  The little creature’s eye opens, shrieking with panic and flapping its good wing as it tries to get away from me.

“Hey!  Wait!  Don’t go!”  Only when it crawls to safety under the bottom of a dresser does it turn ‘round to look at me with a frightened face.  The poor thing looks scared to death.

“It’s okay.  It’s alright.  I’m not gonna hurt you.  Won’t you come on out?”

It looks at me curiously before turning to its other wing.  A large red gash runs down from the middle of it to the bottom, almost tearing it.

“It looks like that rat nicked you pretty good.  If you come on out, I can help you.  _‘It probably can’t understand a word I’m saying.’_  “How about something to eat?  Would you like that?  Hold on.  Stay right there.  I’ll be right back with some food.”

I take the stairs three by three, afraid if I don’t run fast enough, the little creature would disappear before I even get to my bookbag.  Rummaging through my lunchbox, I pull out a bag of apples I didn’t eat for lunch.  When I come back to the dresser, the little thing is still there trying to wipe away blood from the small wound.  It looks at me with its intrigued little eye, but turns his attention to the treats in my hand.  I hold out an apple slice towards him, but he backs into the shadow of the dresser.

“It’s alright.  It’s food.  See?” I bite off half of the apple slice and smile at him.  He cants his head like a puppy. “It’s not poisoned.”

I hold out the other half.  When he still doesn’t move for a few more minutes, I set the apple on the floor and back away.  Looking at me and then back to the tempting treat on the floor, he ever so cautiously hops on both feet towards it.  After a few steps he looks back to me, almost like he’s expecting me to pounce on him, just like the rat.  I continue to smile at him.  He moves forward and sniffs the food.  He instantly munches on it, finishing it all with a happy little chirp.  I giggle at the strange but cheerful little sound it makes.

However, it startles him and he backs away from where the apple once was.

“Wait, I’m sorry.   I didn’t mean to scare you.  That little sound you just made is so cute.  Here, do you want another one?”

It hops toward the second apple, chopping the whole thing down in a few seconds, and once again letting out its adorable sound.

“What are you?  And what are you doing living here in Eli’s house?  How long have you been here?”

The little bird-like creature looks up at me with his mouth full of apple for only a moment before he turns back to his meal.  

“Huh?  I really must be a looney now to be talking to an a little animal that can’t understand a word I’m saying.”

A playful little chirp drew my gaze back down to the floor where the little guy looks up at me and seems to be….smiling!  “Do you want another one?”

Again it chirps, this time with a more happy sound; probably the first happy sound I’ve heard it make since I found it.  I place another apple onto floor.

“You sure are amazing.  Would you do it again?  Make that little sound?”

It smiles at me, hopping into the air and squealing with joy as he downs another apple.  I giggle at the cute little noise again, but this time he doesn’t withdraw.

He eats almost all the apples until there’s only one left.  I hold it out to him, this time in my hand.  With a little speculation and a small sniff, he hops onto my hand.  I try not to flinch at weird feeling of the moisture on the bottoms of his tiny feet and the underside of his tail.  It feels almost like holding a snail or a slug in your hand.

He crunches down the last apple and looks at me anxiously for more. “I’m sorry little guy, but I’m afraid I don’t have anymore.”  His face turns sad and his antenna droop. “But I can get you some more if I take you back to my house.  We have plenty of apples there.  And I can patch up your wing if you’ll let me.  It’s not very safe for you here with that rat around to catch you.  Would you like to come home with me, little guy?”

He looks down at his injured wing, cradling it against his chest, but he gazes up at me and gives me a little nod of his head.

“Alright then.” As I stand up, he hops from my hand onto my shoulder, snuggled up next to my neck.  _‘I can’t get over how cute he is!”_ “At some point I’ll have to name you.  I can’t just keep calling you _‘little guy,’_ can I?  You are a guy, aren’t you?”  He nods, but grabs one of my hairs in his teeth.

“Hey!  What are you doing?”

He slips off of my shoulder, hanging onto my hair.  He isn’t hurting me, but looks to be having fun, swinging back and forth on my hair.  Of course, he’s supposed to be able to fly so he’s making due with what he’s got.  After a minute, it starts to get on my nerves.

“Hey, okay.  That’s enough.”  He swings back up to my shoulder, chirping happily.  I rub his head with my finger as I sling my bag over my shoulder and jump back out of the window.  After cracking it and walking out to the sidewalk, I head for home with a strange little creature hidden inside my hair and laid up against my neck.

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Inside, I go straight for my room and set down my school stuff.  I grab some medical supplies from inside the bathroom vanity to fix the little creature’s wing.  I empty a tissue box on my desk and fill it with cotton and a soft little wash rag for a bed.

“It’s not much, but it should keep you warm.”  I look to my shoulder, but the little slug was gone.  “Where did you go?  Oh no!  My parents are going to kill me.”

I hear a little snicker from behind, and I turn just in time to see a little blue blur disappear behind the stack of books on my desk.

“Where did you go?  What are you-”  I ransack my desk, then my drawers, then my trash can. “This is no time for games!  My parents are going to see you!”

A little chirp comes from behind me as he makes himself comfortable on the little bed I made him.

I can only smile, tempted to laugh. “You sure like to play games, don’t you?  Hey, I think I know what I’ll name you.  How about….Banter, since you’re quite the trickster?”

He chatters in agreement. “Well Banter, how about a fix that wing and then you can get some sleep?”

Banter didn’t like the feel of the neosporin on his gash, but after I wrapped it up for him, he stopped squealing and sleepily hopped toward his make-shift bed.

After I put the supplies back where they belong, I change into my sweats and jump into bed.  “Hey Banter, just make sure my parents don’t see you.  I have feeling that it would better if you staying here were our little secret.  That okay with you?”

The slug turned over and yawned before giving a small nod ‘Yes.’

_‘Never thought I would save this, but I thank Shaina Helmsworth for her shenanigans on the bus after school today.  And for once in awhile since Eli moved, I don’t feel quite so lonely anymore.’_

“Goodnight….Banter.”

 

 


	3. Danger on Wheels

“Who can tell me the answer this question?” Mr. Braswell asks and calls up a student from the front row of the classroom to the dry erase board.

The moment I am out of his zone of vision, I move my math textbook aside and turn to a page in my journal.

_ Why would Banter show himself to me now?  After 3 months?  Coincidence or not? _

_ Where did he even come from?  He’s not normal in the slightest. _

_ Is there a connection between him, his home, and….Eli? _

I add these questions to my list.  As ridiculous as it sounds, for some reason it’s easier to think clearly through each hypothesis and each piece of this complicated puzzle when I write these questions down on paper.

I was almost too busy enjoying myself this morning and thinking about Banter, I completely forgot about my civics homework that was due today.  My victory over Shaina’s sadistic torture on the bus couldn’t save me from a fierce scolding from Mrs. Webb; Not that I probably didn’t deserve it since it’s the third time in a row in a matter of two weeks.  But I didn’t feel too bad as I could still make it up.  I managed to make my way through English and pushy Mrs. Taji through Foreign Language class.   _ I can withstand a little bit of her yelling and Mr. Braswell’s long math lectures. Besides after school is over, I can finally figure out the mystery of the little slug hiding out in my backpack for the past several hours, who’s been surprisingly quiet and probably already eaten more than half the apples I put in there for him to snack on.  Just as long as he isn’t seen…. _

I reach in my pocket to check the time on my phone, but my fingers only feel the bottom of my pocket.   _ Great!  I must have left my phone at home on the counter.  Just perfect!   _ I pick up my pencil and write down the problems on the board.

My pencil stops moving as I feel nudging against my neck!   _ Thank goodness my hair is down! _

Banter was sitting right there, looking up at me plaintively from my shoulder!

“Banter,” I whispered softly, but also trying to make my voice sound as urgent as possible (which wasn’t very easy), “You can’t be here.  Get back in my bag.  Now!”

He cocks his head to side with a grumpy expression.

“What?  Don’t tell me.  You ate all of them already?”

He chirps. “Banter be quiet!  The last thing we need is someone seeing you, calling up the news, and you being turned into a lab rat!  Now get back-”

“Miss Kirkwood?” My head whips around to the front of the classroom, Mr. Braswell staring daggers into my eyes, “Is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class?  Because clearly it’s more important than my lesson.”

“No sir.  I’m sorry.  It won’t happen again.”

“It better not Kida,” he shot back, his expression even scarier as he looked over the tops of his glasses, “I’ve had to get onto you one too many times about participation.  One more interruption and I will have no choice but to send you to detention.  Whatever is on your mind you can save for unstructured hour.  Until then, I would like your full attention up here.  Since you seem to be into the program now, then perhaps you can answer this question I just put up on the board.  Please demonstrate for us how to solve for x in this equation.”

_ Darn it!  Did he really just have to throw me under the bus in front of the class like that?!  I mean come on! _ _ I wasn’t even being that loud! _

I begrudgingly left my seat and endured the silent judging stares at walked to the front of the classroom.  A stare down with Mr. Braswell was a battle that would not be in my favor.

_ It’s fine, okay?  Just a little more time.  That’s all it is.  Let’s just hope within that time I don’t earn three hours in detention. _

 

By the time the bell rang for us to have unstructured hour, my stuff was already all in my bag and ready to go.  I practically sprinted towards my locker to put away my other books, not caring what or who I bumped into and muttering absent apologies as I went.  All I cared about was getting there before Shaina or any other of Lindsey’s trouble-seeking flunkies could spot me.  Heck, I was even moving fast enough that the security guards would have a hard time figuring out who was tearing through the hallways.

I looked up and down the hall.  Still no Shaina, Kari, Savannah, or the witch herself.  _ Must have chickened out because of her little embarrassment this morning.  Must have run back to her master with her tail between her legs like a kicked puppy.  It’s not like I’m elated to have seen her choke, and on one of her OWN pranks, but I don’t regret anything I said to her at all. _

I need to solve this mystery with Eli.  Where did he go?  If only I could just talk to him.  Wow.  I really am getting obsessed.

The bus is as usual as quiet as a graveyard, everyone with their earbuds in, and on their devices.  Still no Shaina.  Only me and my excitement.

I pull out my wallet and open it to a picture that me and Eli got together at the photo booth at the skating rink right before he disappeared…

 

**“Looking good Kida!” He yells as he whirrs right past me and spins round to face me.**

**Why does he always feel the need to show off how much better he is at this stuff than me?**

**“No, I’m Nooooooo-” My arms swing backwards unsteadily, but I don’t fall down on my butt, which is most likely going to have a lot of bruises on it the next day.  But I swear if I do it again, I’m staying right where I fall.**

**“Not really!  I can’t put in any speed.”**

**“Sure ya can!”  He almost screams over the loud booming music, “You’ve got to stop worrying about falling.  That’s mainly your problem.”**

**“Oh sure!  I’ve only done it like fifteen times every few seconds.  If I go any slower and I’ll be going in reverse!  I don’t know how in the heck you talked me into doing this!”**

**He shakes his head and chuckles, while coasting backwards and looking at me.   How can he this happy all the time? “You’re seriously telling me you’d rather be cooped up in your house?  All by yourself?  Come on!  You gotta admit this is WAY more fun.”**

**“If you call landing hard on your knees enough times to make them turn purple by the next morning, then definitely!  I’m having a blast!”**

**He slows down on his skates, a mischievous smile on his face that makes me nervous. “Alright Spitfire, you leave me no choice!  You came for fun, and that’s exactly what you’re gonna get!”**

**He’s gonna crash into me!  I cross my arms in front of my face!  But instead of a hard knock to the ground, hands grab me from behind and when I open my eyes….I’m flying across the rink!**

**“Eeeellliiii!  I can’t go this fast!  I’m gonna fall!”**

**“No your not.  I won’t let you.”**

**I feel like my whole body is buzzing with energy!  I feel like I’m about fall over, but Eli easily steadies me.  He’s really strong.  I wonder if he’s this social with the other girls he hangs out with at school.  I wish my heart would stop beating so fast!  Why do I feel so nervous?**

**“As soon as you let go-”**

**I feel his fingers slipping from my arms!  “Too late!  Now coast!”**

**I shut my eyes and I spin around!**

**“But you need to see where you’re going!”**

**I’m still upright, but I’m not going straight anymore.  He skates up beside me, flashing a smug grin. “What’d I tell you?”**

**“Don’t be ridiculous!  If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be getting my twentieth beating of the night.”**

**“But it sure is much more fun riding the rink instead of falling on it, right?”**

**“Whatever.”**

**After about an hour of none stop racing: Best out of 2, best out of 4, best out of 10, best out of 15, Eli bought me a soda and sat down with me at one of the tables by the rink.**

**“Alright.  Not bad.  Cross getting you out of your school zone off the list.”**

**I swallowed the last bit of my drink.  I don’t understand why he wants so badly to mess around with a nobody like me.  Why is he always pushing me to “get out of my element? “What’s that suppose to mean?”**

**“Well, for one thing you’re actually talking.  You don’t do that much during school.”**

**“Why wouldn’t I?  It draws much less attention to myself.  And less attention equals less trouble to deal with.”**

**“But don’t you want to interact with people?  Make friends?   You can’t be clammed up in your our shell for the rest of your life.”**

**“What the heck Eli?  Didn’t you get the briefing on the first day.  I’m more of a magnet for bullies than friends.”**

**“You found a friend in me didn’t you?”**

**I turn away from him, but I’m most likely turning every possible shade of red right now.  Does he enjoy doing this to me? “You don’t count.  Pretty much anyone you converses with you could find a friend in you Eli.”**

**“Not true.”**

**I punched him in the arm. “You liar!”**

**“Ow!  Hey, I’m serious.  I may get along with people, but that doesn’t mean I’m friends with everyone.”**

**“That’s not my perception.”**

**His grin turns to a frown, a very un-Eli feature about him.  He’s always so happy and energetic.  But right now, he looks almost sad.  Maybe I was being a little too rough earlier.  I must have struck a nerve somewhere to make him lose his smile.**

**“Being part of the popular kids isn’t exactly as perfect as you think it is Kida.”**

**His voice is quivering.  I didn’t want to do this to him! “Eli-”**

**“Sure, I do get attention from the other students.  People know who I am around the school, and I get admired for my drag racing skills.  But not even half the people who know my name even know my likes, dislikes, what my profession would be after school, or even my favorite song.  It’s mainly because I drag race, and because of my last name, the fact that I’m “a Shane.”  It means more to them to just have met the son of a renowned man than to actually get to know him.  A large part of the time, I’m by myself.”**

**Eli really must trust me to be this open with me about this.  Do I mean that much to him?  How the heck could everyone like him so much and yet not even know what he likes or doesn’t like?  Not even Lindsey knows.  Then again, she basically just fools herself and believes whatever she wants to believe as always.  Or course, Eli has that inviting aura about him, something that just draws you to him and makes you...woah I need to search my thoughts and stop daydreaming.**

**But Eli?  Alone?  It never really crossed my mind to ask him about what he does at school when he’s not in class.  He and I don’t have the same lunch, and I never thought to ask him where he’d be during that time.  Why do I always make everything about me?  How selfish I must seem to him.**

**“I’m….so sorry Eli.  I never thought….I’m just so so sorry for assuming that about you,”My head droops and my hands cover my face.  I know that I look pathetic, but I HAVE to be open with him,“Please forgive me.  I really am a terrible friend.  I shouldn’t have to jump to conclusions.”**

**Eli’s eyes opens wide in surprise.  His cheeks are dusted pick like he’s embarrassed, and he waves his hands franticly. “Hey, hey it’s alright.  It’s alright.  You were a little standoffish, but I don’t blame you.  You’re such much different than everyone else and like that about you.  Wow, if I had known I had to get deep like this for you to soften up, then I would have-”**

**“Eli!  I’m trying to be serious!  What I did was really messed up!”**

**His kind smile reappears and I feel my insides are doing somersaults.  It felt great that didn’t take my arrogance personally, but. “Like I said, it’s alright.  I forgive you.”**

**“Thanks.  I appreciate that.”**

**“I….really enjoy spending time with you Eli,” I laugh.  I can’t help laughing when I’m around him.  I’m learning so many things when I’m with you, like how to do physics, deal with Lindsey, and even rollerblade.”**

**“I didn’t do anything….except give you a nudge.”**

**I punch him in the arm again.**

**“Ow, do you have to be so violent?  What was that for?”**

**“For grabbing me.  A nudge?  More like a near-death experience on wheels.”**

**Eli laughs.“You’re going to stand there and tell me to my face that that wasn’t fun?” he says smiling.** **_Why does he have to be so darn kind?_ ** **He’s really something else.  I really love that about him.**

 

**“Go again?”**

**“You.Are.ON!”**

I’m too excited to even take all the steps off the bus!  I sprint from the top and run for the front door.  I throw my backpack onto the floor beside my bed and find some comfortable clothes in my dresser.  Pulling my sweater over my head, I look around for my phone.  I probably won’t have to worry about my parents finding me gone since they are working late again.  If they are too tired to drive home, they may as well just sleep in the lab. _  But where is phone?  Maybe I didn’t bring it with me to school? _

I look under the covers and on my charger, but still can’t find it.  Eventually, after a thorough search in my room, I find it on the counter.

_ I’ll lose my head if it doesn’t stay attached to my neck. _

On the fridge, the note my parents left is still hanging on front of the fridge, under the magnet just as I left it this morning.  They haven’t been home at all today.  They at least stop by the house at least one time during the day with new instructions or a new message for me.  I take the magnet and note under it.

_ They may have been too busy today with the new progression in their research.  I can still talk to them, even if they are working. _

I stuff my phone and magnet into my sweater pocket and then grab for a pair of socks, but they move a few inches away.  I reach for them again, this time faster, but they move again.  All at once they jump right out of my drawer and land on the floor!  I smirk and pounce on them as they skitter across the floor and disappear to the other side of my bed.  Creeping up onto my bed on all fours, I crawl to the very end until I’m right above them.

“Banter, I believe you have something of mine.  Come on.”

“Banter?  That’s enough.  Come on.  Cough ‘em up.”

I see him peep up from behind the covers wearing a rascally smile on his face.  He reminds me Eli whenever he felt the indisputable need to push me out of my comfort zone and into the spotlight.  He fits in so well with the pops, but was so friendly to the lower class in school, people like me.

“You probably won’t understand this, but I’m so glad I found you Banter.  You’re the first friend I’ve had in awhile.”

He scurries out from under the covers, and seemingly trying his best to smile with my pair of socks hanging out of his mouth.  

“You remind me so much of him.” 

Banter drops the socks and cocks his head with confusion.

“He was a good friend of mine, like a big brother and best friend at the same time.  And maybe….more than that.  I must have had some kind of appeal to him for him to give me the time of day he did.  True, that we may only have been friends for a year and a half, but it felt so much longer.  I could be so open and as much as I played it strong for him, he could see right through my charades.  I’m an easy book for him to read, and a short one.  I hate that about him, but I love it at the same time.”

Banter slouched with his wings spread out and chirping lowly with a solemn smile.

“Yeah, I really liked him, unlike anyone else.”

He flopped off of the bed and hopped up onto my lap and then my shoulder, nudging my neck like a persistent cat.

I rub his head with my fingers. “Yes Banter, I like you a lot too.”

I enjoy Banter’s company so much, but it can’t repair the hole in my heart where a piece of Eli once existed.

_ Eli, why the heck did you have to up and disappear like this?  And without a single word?  I don’t know why you left or why you didn’t bother to give me a clue Eli, but I swear that I’ll…...find…..a clue?  He must have left me SOMETHING to help find out where he went.  There must be SOMETHING!” _

I pull out my wallet and look at the picture of the two of us side by side at the skating rink.  We decided to take just one picture outside the photobooth and had to retake it several times before I could get my smile right.

All the sudden, Banter begin to chirp so loud, my ears start to ring!  He leaps off of my shoulder, the bandages around his injured wing fluttering to the floor, and revealing perfectly healed skin!  He flies as so fast around the room, he almost looks like a blur!

_ That should have taken at least A WEEK to fully heal!  A few days at the LEAST! _

“I guess your wing is all better now!”

He zooms down to my eye level, spinning around and around over the photo.  Finally he lands gracefully on the picture and chirps happily like little kid on his birthday.

“Do you know him, Banter?  Do you know who this is?”  
He nods so fast and then takes off into the air again, chirping his head off.  He flies to the ceiling and looks at me and then flies towards the open door.

“Banter, wait for me!”

He zips back, hovering in the frame of my bedroom door.  I’m almost inclined to follow his lead!  I’m going to find Eli!

I stuff a few snacks into my backpack, my laptop, and a few other things I’d need.

“Lead the way Banter.”

 


	4. Chapter 4 - I'll Get to You

        **I'm finally back from the dead!  And before you all murder me for not updating sooner, I want to go ahead and say thank you for all of your patience!  Writing this chapter has led to more than one sleepless night for me because I wanted it to be prefect!  I am hoping and praying that you all think so!  Enjoy!!!**

 

"I've been running through the jungle

I've been running with wolves

I've been down the darkest alleys

Saw the dark side of the moon

"... **To get to you** "

Lyrics by Selena Gomez

It was already dark outside, the street dotted with dim lights all the way down the block.  The sky was curtained with dark gray clouds, foreshadowing another downpour later this evening.  But I can care less about the impending storm or the distant crackling of thunder, and more about how ridiculously out of shape I was.  I had to sprint as hard as I possibly could just to keep a small blur of glowing blue light in my sights down the sidewalk.

_Let’s hope no one gets too curious when they see a girl chasing after a trail of blue light flying down the streets._

“Banter, please slow down!  I can’t fly you dumdum!”

Without warning and disregarding any risk of being seen, Banter flew right out of the house. I barely had time to sling my backpack onto my shoulder and follow him before he was completely out of sight.

A tiny raindrop falls on my cheek.  Then another. And another, but it was the least of my concerns.  It would be raining like crazy soon, but I’ll finally figure out what it is that Banter wants me to see.  Hopefully, it will help me figure out where Eli went.

_Whatever it is that Banter is looking for must be important.  I’ve never seen him so excited. But....this whole thing may not have anything to with Eli, or where he is.  But the way he reacted when I showed him the photo and the way he immediately flew out of the house in such a hurry?  He was so happy._

_But it could be nothing.  Why did I not give this a second thought?  I could very well be running towards a dead end, just like all the other times I ever tried to figure out where he went.  Maybe he never left a trace of where he went because he didn’t want me to find him. The thought had crossed my mind before, but I refused to believe that our friendship really didn’t mean anything to him.  It must have meant something to him._

_Maybe none of this is real.  But for now, I will believe that it is._

I could see the street light in front of Eli’s house through the mist just up ahead.

_I have to see for myself, if this is real or not.  If there is even a chance....I.Will. Take.It._

**“So, how was the siminar?”**

**“Eh, not really the kind of collaborative activity that I typically enjoy.”**

**“Well, what kind do you enjoy?”**

**“Preferably, I would choose projects that would involve partnerships.  You know, if they are good partners that don’t shove all the work on you.  It’s just easier to divide up the work that way and you don’t exactly have to be put on the spot all alone.”**

**The smirk Eli flashes in my way hints that he is thinking about something devious.**

**I punch him in the arm. “Oh, wipe that stupid grin off your face Eli!”**

**“Oww.  Take it easy, Spitfire,” He says with a wounded look, rubbing his shoulder.**

**_That nickname!_ “Eli?"**

**"Yeah?"**

**"Why do you keep calling me that?”**

**"Spitfire?" He looks at me almost dumbfounded.“Because you don’t let me get away with anything? And don’t resist biting my head off whenever I provoke you?  If nothing else, your fists pack a punch and I’ve got the bruises to prove it.”**

**“I’m glad you noticed,” I smiled proudly, “Since I hadn't been doing so well in gym first semester, I’ve been running through a series of drills with the punching bag since the beginning of second semester, so how could I not get stronger? As a bonus, I’ll be prepared if Lindsey or _her minions_  decide to get violent.”**

**“Nice.” Eli grinned again, actually looking at me like he was impressed.  I can feel the heat rising into my cheeks, and I look away from him. _Eli is really the only boy that I know of that could make me blush.  Rarely have I heard compliments from him that didn't sound exaggerated, like he was joking with me._**

**"You really think so?"**

**“Sure.  Besides I was starting to get a little bored overlapping you over and over.”**

**_And just like that, he opens his mouth and soils the moment!_ **

**“Shut up Eli.”**

**"Hey wait up Kida."**

I ran around the side of the house and climb in through the regularly cracked window, just as a boom of thunder shakes the ground.  It was so pitch black inside, I could hardly find the latch to lock the window. I plop backwards onto couch, out of breath from running all the way here.  The rain has already started, pelting the windows and clattering onto the roof.

I lay back on the couch to catch my breath and get my energy back.  I saw Banter fly in through the window when I came up behind him, but I don't see him now.   _Probably hiding._

_If he stranded me in Eli’s house in this rain and gets me yelled out by my parents for disappearing in the middle of a storm for a dead end, I will have words for that little slug._

“Banter?” I whisper.

No answer.

_If I yell, I am bound to attract too much attention to a house that is supposed to be abandoned.  Not that anyone could really hear me over the rain outside. Still, I should keep my voice down._

“Banter?” After checking to make sure the window behind me is closed, I try again a little louder. “Where did you you?”

I almost jump at the familiar distant sound of Banter’s chirp upstairs.  Even though I know that it is Eli’s house, the dark and the outside lights casting shadows night time.  The rain falls rather dramatically outside, and the rumble of lightening and thunder only added to the creepiness.  Not that it really matters, but it also makes me feel I should take a break from reading so many  _Stephen King_  novels.

I hurry up the stairs.  Banter sits right in front of Eli’s bedroom door, smiling and zipping around with his glowing wings when he sees me coming up the stairs.

“Geez, Banter!  You don’t think you could slow down just a little bit?”

He squeaks rather indignantly like I said something offensive before wriggling under the door.

Of all the rooms in the house, I could never bring myself to go into his room.  It seemed rather inappropriate and just brought back sad memories. Besides, it just felt wrong—like desecrating a grave.  

My stuffed backpack slides off my shoulders.  I know the door isn’t locked because I tried to open it once before.  It opened easily on squeaky hinges.

Everything was exactly the same as before, and coated in a thick layer of dust.  But my attention was on the rug in front of the door that was moving around.

“Banter,” I demanded, “if you dragged me here in the middle of the night for nothing-”

Banter squealed impatiently as he peeked out from under the rug. I turned the rug over, feeling around the space beneath it.  My phone gave off a dim blue glow, but enough for me to see... _cracks?_

I feel along the floor with my fingers, tracing straight cracks in the floor in a rectangular shape with the inside lower than the floor on the outside.  Feeling all around the surface, my forefinger touches a small fissure running along the bottom on the inside of the cracks.

Instantly, the board rolls away, revealing a white box with a star-shaped “S” symbol on the cover.

_“For the ‘S’ in ‘Shane,’ I guess?”_

Pulling both sides of the box apart, inside was a folded up piece of paper.

_A letter._

**“What’s up Kida?” Eli says, jogging to my side with his normal cheery smile and offers me his usual fist bump.  I shrug as I hug my books tighter to my chest so I do not drop them.**

**“Hey Eli.  Not much here, just finished Creative Writing.  Though I really wanted to tell you that I aced my descriptive writing assignment.”**

**"Well of course you did." Eli chortled as he hopped on top of one of the small brick walls and swung around the trunk of a tree inside the planter. “That’s no shocker, you were made for that class.”**

**I give him my best confident pose. “What can I say?  I’ve got the chops for it.”**

**Six years ago, this kind of jubilant behavior would have annoyed me to no end.  Mostly because it was the common kind of behavior that the queen bees who dominated the social food chain would often use to get attention   But it was an annoyance I had all but completely forgotten about since I became friends with Eli.  It felt so strange at first, having someone to talk to after being locked away behind my own walls for so long.  I don’t feel awkward or snubbed when I’m with him.  It's never a dull moment.  I actually look forward to school now instead of dreading it.**

**It is such an amazing feeling, to not feel so alone anymore.  I don’t know what I would do it I went back to being that way again.**

**"Did you get my message that I left for you?  It didn't fall off and end up in the pine needles again, did it?"**

**"Yeah, I didn't have much time to read it though.  Sadly, um..." Eli mumbled looking at the ground, a rarity to be seen unless the topic of conversation was especially personal.  Almost in an instant, my heart dropped to rock bottom. "I've got some bad news.  I'll be out of town on a trip next week and won't be able to come to the party.  It was planned about 3 years in advance, so..."**

**All of the sudden, my stomach feels like someone is squeezing it like a stress ball.  My own breathing feels somewhat labored.  He _planned this way ahead of time for his birthday.  It isn't like he intentionally planned it when I would be celebrating my birthday._   _And as if I haven't proven enough about how much of a wuss I am, I couldn't even muster the gall to ask him to come myself._  Before I can process everything, I can already feel tears welling up in the corners of my eyes.  Like a slap in the face, I feel the fierce urge to get away to somewhere where he can't see me crying.  I sniffed them back and put my best fake smile. "Oh no, that's alright.  I understand," is all I can get out!**

**As I turn to leave, a hand firmly grips my shoulder.I want to wrench away from him and run away. _That's what the old me would have done.  Sadly I had forgotten how much more stronger he had gotten since we became friends._**

**His grip slightly tightens on my shoulder, as if he anticipated my actions. "Hey wait, Kida?  Please don't run away.  I know you're sad, but please hear me out."**

**All my emotionally walls instantly close up around me.  All my insides feel like someone punched me in the gut. "It's alright Eli.  I'm okay."**

**"No you're not.  I know you too well to not tell that you're upset.  You don't have to be ashamed of admitting how you really feel Kida."**

**_The old me would turn and run at the first sign of confrontation.  Why doesn't he just let me go?  Why does this matter to him so much?  If he thinks that he's going to manipulate me into forgiving me, he can forget it._ "I'm fine," I hiss through my teeth.**

**His concerned expression turns to a stern frown as his free hand grabs my other shoulder, blocking any means of escaping him. "You're upset.  Tell me that you are upset."**

**Disappointment and embarrassment gnaw at my insides and I can't bring myself to look him in the face.  I shake my head and turn away. "Fine.  Maybe I'm disappointed.  I was hoping you would come.  Happy now?"**

**His fingers grip the shoulder part of my sweater and I can feel him lean closer to me.  I can see the corners of his mouth are turned up in a half-smile, but I avert my eyes from his.  I am so afraid of what will happen next, but my feet feel glued to the ground.  My hands fly up to my face to cover my eyes and hide a few tears that managed to escape my eyes.**

**"How hard was that?  Do you still not trust me enough to tell me how your feeling Kida?"**

**I still don't say anything.**

**"Please Kida, look at me."**

**I turn my face towards him, my eyes shut tightly.  If I open them, the tears will start and I won't be able to stop them. "I do trust you Eli.  It's because I trust you and because you are my friend that I don't want you to know my feelings.  They're my burden to bear, not yours."**

**"Listen to me.  You aren't made of stone, no matter how much you pretend that you are Kida.  Am I still that shallow boy you perceived would embarrass and ridicule you, and then ditch you at the earliest opportunity?"**

**"You idiot," I scoff, and then as I take a deep breath,"No, you weren't"**

**Both of his hands are on my shoulders. "At least look me in the eyes Kida...please?"**

**_Eli is the first boy to really look me in the eyes when he is talking to me.  He doesn't take advantage of me and enjoys my company, no matter how much of a pain I am towards him.   Eli actually likes me for me.  He doesn't take advantage of me or embarrass me, and I know in my heart that he values our friendship.  He genuinely cares for me._ **

**My eyes sluggishly open, and true to form, tears began to fall from my eyes and were streaming down my cheeks.  I still feel embarrassed letting him see me like this.**

**His expression softens. _Dad-gum, that smile of his!_**

**His hand came up to the side of my face and he wiped the stray tears away with his thumb.  My heart is pounding so fast, why the heck do I feel this way? _It is such foreign in feeling...but not an unwelcome one._**

**"Come on Kida, don't cry please?"**

**His grip on my shirt loosens with a deep sigh.  Suddenly, they snake around my shoulders to my back, pulling me towards him.**

**I'm breathless.**

**"Eli," I whisper, "What are you doing?"**

**"We're friends, aren't we Kida?"**

**_Is he joking with me?_ "What kind of a question is that?  Of course we are."**

**"I'm serious Kida.  Friends share each others burdens, no matter how difficult they are.  You don't have to hide your feelings from me.  If your sad, just say it.  Stop trying to cover it up."**

**_Why do I feel this way?_ **

**_I give up._ **

**I don't know what it is, but my hands slide up around his shoulders and my head presses against his chest.  It feels so strange to for him to be holding me like this, but it seems so right.**

**I hardly notice a small tear sliding down the side of my face. _But I'm not sad.  I'm so happy_.**

**"You win Eli."**

**I can tell he's smiling.  He pulls me even closer, tucking my head under his chin.**

**"Really?  Well then, good.  You don't know how happy that makes me."**

**I'm not sure how long it was that we stayed like that and I can tell that their were a few stares on us, but for once I really didn't care.  But the school bell just HAD to intervene.**

**Eli pulls away and slides his book bag off his shoulder. "Well, now that we finally got that out of the way, I can finally give you this."**

**He rummages through his book bag and pulls out a small box. "Since I won't be able to come to your party, I thought that I would go ahead and give it to you."**

**My hands shake anxiously.  "Thank you Eli.  Thank you so much."**

**"You don't even know what it is," he laughs, "Go ahead and open it before you die of excitement." _He almost seems more excited than I am!_**

**In the middle of the box is a necklace with the letter K and two small charms: a silver roller blade and an open book with a green cover.**

**"I love it Eli!  Thank you!" I throw my arms around his neck. _It was so sweet of him to go out of his way to get me something so original and so unique._**

**"I'm so glad you like it," he whispers as he hugs me.**

**Then I remember that the bell rang just a minute ago. "Come on.  We're going to be late to physics."**

 

In the dim light, it reads....

<><><><>

_Dear Eli,_

_If you’re reading this, it means I’ve fallen protecting Slugterra.  It’s one of the risks of being a Shane, a risk you’ll one day face yourself if you decide to follow in my footsteps.  A long line of Shanes has made the trip down to Slugterra. If you do choose to go, remember our deal. Not until you’re fifteen, son._

<><><><>

_This was written by Eli’s dad!  He never really mentioned that much about his dad.  He would go for hours about his mother, but I rarely I’ve heard even a remote mention of his father.  I wonder how young Eli was when he heard about...._

_“_ But, this doesn’t make any sense.  The writing looks like Eli’s handwriting.  He never wrote so….formally. At least, not that I ever saw the entire time I knew him.”

_So Eli’s father was the protector of this Slugterra place, and probably every other one of his ancestors.  Sure seems like an enormous privilege to be a ‘Shane.’_

“Banter, is that where you came from?  Slugterra? Is that your home?”

Banter fluttered from his place on the floor by the opening and alighted on top of my knee.  Even though he cannot directly answer me in english, I can tell when he looks at me and understands what I am saying. His head sags and he gives me two slow nods, gravity evident in his face.  It is probably the first time that I’ve ever seen him really look sad after I first found him. I can only assume that he's telling me that really misses his home, which makes me wonder how long he’s been here in Eli’s house hiding from hungry rats and waiting to go home.

<><><><>

_I’ve told you a lot about my adventures in Slugterra, and you’ll have plenty of your own.  Getting down there is the easy part, but getting back will be a lot harder for you. If you choose to go, it will be a one way trip before you learn the secret of how to get back home.  I know we always talked about making your first trip on the ground together, but you’ll have to do this one on your own. I know I’ve told you a lot about Slugterra, but it only scratches the surface of what you’ll see.  You’ll be traveling over one hundred miles beneath the surface of the earth to place that only a handful of topsiders have ever seen._

<><><><>

_Wow, so this where you’ve been Eli._

_But this doesn’t make any sense._

_If this is Eli’s handwriting, then why was this written to Eli from his father?  The paper isn’t even that old. If this was written for Eli, long before he turned fifteen, it would me musty, old, or even be slightly crumpled at the edges.  This message is written on plain white notebook paper, and it...really looks fairly new._

_If I were Eli with a list of important directions from my father, wouldn’t I have taken this with me?  Everytime Eli ever had a list for anything, he would keep it with him at all times._

I pull out my phone, and have to squint when the blinding light stings my eyes.  Shining the light on the paper to look closer at it, there is something scribbled on the very bottom right hand corner of the page.

_When you reach Slugterra, there will be a Shane hide-out a few hundred yards from the Drop.  Inside you’ll find all the gear you’ll need to keep the peace. Your own Mecca beast will be waiting for you in the service bay.  Happy Birthday son!_

 

_Is that….is this really?_

_In the bottom corner of the letter is a sketch....a sketch of a necklace with a "K" charm._

I can feel my tears falling soundlessly and soaking into my jeans.  Banter chirps and I notice that he is looking up at me with a face full of concern.  I start sniveling and drawing deep breaths.

I offer him a small smile.  In a little flicker of light, Banter flitters onto my shoulder and nestles into the crook of my neck, cooing softly.

_Eli really did intend for me to find this letter, without a doubt.  Somehow,  I feel a little closer to him.  I have to find him, and take Banter home!_

“I’m alright Banter," I say wiping my eyes on my sleeve,"In fact, I'm better than alright!    Enough moping around. Let's go find Eli.”

Banter flutters into the air with a happy chirp, swooping downwards and grabbing the letter out of my hands before he zips out of sight!

I take the stairs two at the time!  Banter flies erratically around the unlocked window with the folded letter between his teeth.  The downpour has now quieted to a steady shower, the remains of the storm flowing in large streams and making ankle-deep puddles alongside the road.

I shove my hood over my head and the light rain beats against my back as I follow Banter through the shower.

He stops short in the middle of the street, above a manhole cover.

"Figures.  If it's near the center of the earth, the only way to get there is down."

My fingers hook into the groves of the cover and slowly but carefully, I lift the cover off.  Surprisingly it's lighter than I thought.  A wave of the sewer stench wafts past my nose and my nostrils voluntarily close.  Once inside, I break out my flashlight. _I'm praying that 'Slugterra' won't smell like this nasewer water._

I can easily see Banter hovering in the air a few feet away from me, his flapping blue wings illuminating a very bright green glow in the pitch dark tunnel ahead and making eerie shadows dance wildly on the sewer walls.  His adorable little chirp echoes loudly in the Right as I catch up to him, he flies further into the tunnel.

_I can easily get lost down here.  Hopefully, Banter knows the right way.  He certainly has a better idea than me.  Yet, I can't help but think he's just having fun running away from me while I chase him._

Before Banter can disappear, I follow him down the tunnel to the right.  His light glows brighter, making it hard to lose track of him.

**"You sure are demanding.  Once we knock out this section, we'll call is quits for a while.  Sound good?"**

Banter glances behind at me as he speeds up, fluttering into the tunnel to the left.   _Then again, h_ _e may just be very excited about finally go home._

**"Good luck in First Period.  Stay out of trouble Spitfire."**

_He feels so close!  It may just be my own excitement, but I almost feel like he is right around the corner._

Down another row of corridors.

**"You're going to stand there and tell me honestly that that wasn't fun?"**

Into the right hallway.

**"I'm so glad you like it."**

“Banter, slow down.”  I finally catch up to him, a little embarrassed that I was already trying to catch my breath after a very short sprint," Aghh.  If Eli was here right now, he would be laughing his head off after all that big talk I gave him about how much more practice I'd been doing in gym."

Finally, the other tunnels come to a stop.  The walls are solid slabs of concrete on all sides of the corridor.  Shining the flashlight onto the stone face, the faint light illuminates a black button on the stone coated in dust.

"The same symbol on the case that letter was in!  You did it Banter!  Good job!"

He pipes happily and perched on my shoulder, his light glowing brighter than ever!  He hops up and down, fluttering his little wings like he can't stand to wait any longer!

An assortment of whirls and whizzes come from the other side of the wall as it splits in two, revealing an empty room aside from a large hole in the ground.

I examine the hole, and I can almost guess that there is something that used to be on top of it, which Eli must have used to make the trip down.

_Eli is just minutes away, but I've hit another snag!_

"Banter, this makes no sense.  How am I supposed to get down there?"

Banter trills and hovers above the opening. 

"I mean besides jumping Banter!  I'm not jumping down a hole that I am almost positive is bottomless."

He squeals irritably, gesturing to the large hole in the floor.  He zips around in circles me and then hovers over the opening again, holding something in his mouth.  _He wouldn't!_

"Banter!  Give that back!"

My family's photo hangs tediously from the mischievous slug's teeth, poised to drop the only reminder of my parents I have into the abyss right below him!  He squints at me, daring me to challenge him.

"Banter, please don't!  That picture is as precious to me as your wings.  Please give it back.  Please?"

_This is getting me no where.  He seems to know about this whole dilemma much better than me though.  Stupid as it sounds, I'll have to trust that the slug knows what he's doing._

I take a deep breath. "Okay Banter, if you say we jump....we jump."

Banter smirks, mocking me in his own fashion at his little victory.

"Cut it out."

I shove my picture into my backpack, tightening the straps firmly to my back to avoid any possibility of losing my stuff.

_Eli, you had me all wrong if you thought that I wouldn't come looking for you.  I will find you!_

With one last silent prayer that I wasn't falling to my death, I lean forward into a free fall

 

**I know you guys must hate for taking so longer to update....and once again ending with yet another cliffhanger!  But I promise ya'll that I am not trolling you!   I wanted to show a little more of Kida's background show through before she dives into the World Beneath Our Feet.  College has started again and will require most of my attention.  However, I will use whatever time I have to pour into this story!  A HUGE Kudos to all you guys again for being so patient!  A special thank you to my readers...**

**Another Adventure awaits in the World Beneath Our Feet next chapter!  Please review!  See you guys soon!!**

 


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